Stone polishing and processing apparatus



`March-3, 1970 A.s.JAN1 K|,JR l I 3,498,007

STONE POLISHING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed July 17, 1967 2sheets-sheet 1 -March3,197y0 A..s.JAN|cK|,J -I 3,498,007'

STIE POLISHING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed July 17, 1957 l 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR. #WHO/WJ 4A/MAZ Je 3,498,007 STONE PLSHING ANDPRCESSNG APPARATUS Anthony S. .lanicki, Jr., Toledo, Ohio (118 RockledgeCircle, Perrysburg, Ohio 43551) Filed July 17, 1967, Ser. No. 653,794lut. Cl. B24b 7/00, 9/00 U.S. Cl. 51-109 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLGSURE This disclosure embraces an apparatus for lapping orpolishing stones and more especially to a compact portable apparatus forpolishing stones used for jewelry and decorative purposes, the apparatusbeing motor operated through a variable speed drive to provide variousspeeds for the stone lapping or polishing instrumentality.

This invention relates to apparatus for polishing stones used forjewelry and decorative purposes and especially to a motor-driven compactapparatus of portable character. Various types of stone polishingmachines or apparatus have been devised and used but such constructionshave not been readily adaptable to accommodate various types and sizesof polishing wheels or stone processing instrumentalities and havelacked effective means for readily changing or varying the speed of therotatable mounting for a polishing wheel.

The present invention embraces the provision of a stone polishing orprocessing apparatus of a character wherein the components of theapparatus are mounted upon a comparatively small frame or support incompact orientation, rendering the apparatus readily portable.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a stone polishingapparatus wherein the apparatus is fashioned to facilitate changingstone processing instrumentalities to adapt the apparatus for use inpolishing or lapping various sizes and types of stones.

The invention embraces a stone polishing apparatus embodying a simple,yet effective, variable speed drive for the rotatable arbor mounting astone lapping or polishing instrumentality, the apparatus being providedwith arbor locking means for retaining the arbor temporarily in a xedposition to facilitate changing stone processing instrumentalities.

Another object of the invention resides in an arrangement for adjustingthe support for the rotatable arbor and the frame of the variable speedmechanism to vary the tension of driving belts employed in a drivemechanism between a motor and the arbor.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufactureand numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may bepreferred, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the stone polishing apparatus of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated inFIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the front end of the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line5--5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View illustrating components of a variable speeddrive;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of a transversely slidable component ofthe variable speed` drive;

United States Patent() 3,498,087 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 ICC FIGURE 8 isan end view of a portion of another component of the variable speeddrive;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view of a lapping plate for processing stones;

FIGURE 10 is a detail view illustrating a locking means for therotatable arbor of the apparatus;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view illustrating a mounting of a wheel forprocessing cobochons;

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view of a chuck supported on the arbormounting a cone-shaped polishing member; and

FIGURE 13 illustrates schematically the electrical circuit for theapparatus.

Referring to the drawings in detail and initially to FIGURES l through5, there is illustrated a form of the stone processing or polishingapparatus of the invention. The apparatus is inclusive of a generallyrectangular housing 10 having a hollow interior, the housing having aplanar platform portion 12 forming a base or support means for thecomponents of the apparatus.

The frame is inclusive of side walls 14 and 15 and front and rear endwalls 16 and 17. The base frame may be fashioned of wood or of castmetal such as cast aluminum or the like. As an example of the size ofthe base frame 10, it is found that a frame about 26 inches in length,16 inches in width and about 6 inches in height provides support forcomponents of the apparatus and suicient interior space foraccommodating the rotatable arbor or shaft and the variable speed drivemechanism.

The apparatus is inclusive of a metal receptacle 20 preferably ofcircular configuration as shown in FIGURE l, which may be of castaluminum or other suitable material. In the embodiment illustrated theoor or bottom 22 of the receptacle 20 is fashioned at its central regionwith an upwardly extending boss portion 24 and a depending boss portion26 preferably integrally formed with the bottom 22 of the receptacle.The boss portions are integral and are fashioned with a central bore 27as shown in FIGURE 5. A rotatable arbor or shaft 28 extends through thebore 27 and is journally supported on suitable anti-friction bearings 30and 32 supported respectively within the bosses 24 and 26, the arborbeing disposed for rotation about a vertical axis.

The receptacle 20 is fashioned with outwardly extending lugs or brackets34, the brackets being provided with openings to receive securing bolts36. The securing bolts 36 extend through slots 38 in the base orplatform portion 12 of the frame, the slots extending lengthwise of theframe to provide for adjustment of the receptacle 20 for a purposehereinafter explained. The arbor 28 is fashioned with an enlargedshoulder 40 and a threaded tenon portion 42 at its upper end. Thethreaded portion 42 is equipped with a nut 44 for securing stonepolishing or processing wheels or instrumentalities to the arbor 28.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, a stone polishing wheel orinstrumentality 46 has an axial opening to accommodate the threadedtenon 42, Washers or discs 48 being disposed above and below thepolishing wheel 46 as shown in FIGURE 5. The nut 44 may be drawn up tosecurely fasten the polishing wheel 46 to the rotatable arbor 28.

The invention is inclusive of an electrically-energizable motor 52 forrotating or driving the arbor 28 through an adjustable variable speedmechanism mounted within the housing 10 to provide for rotation of astone polishing wheel or other instrumentality at a desired speed formost efficient operation. The electrically-energizable motor 52 ismounted upon the base member or platform 12 of the housing. The housingof the motor 52 is provided with a circular flange 54 which is securedto the frame base member 12 by bolts 56. The motor shaft 58 is rotatableabout 3 a vertical axis and extends downwardly into the interior of thehousing 10, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The variable speed drive is illustrated in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5, certaincomponents of the drive being illustrated in FIGURES 6 through 8. Thevariable speed drive is inclusive of a base plate or frame 60 ofrectangular shape having pairs of bosses 62 and 64 in transverselyspaced relation, as shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5. The plate 60 isprovided with a single boss 66, shown in FIGURE 5, disposed between thebosses 62 and 64 at one end of the plate 60. The pairs of bosses 62 and64 are bored to accommodate rods 68 which form ways for supporting alongitudinally adjustable carriage 70.

The base plate 60 is fashioned with lengthwise arranged slots 71, shownin FIGURE 4, accommodating bolts 72 which extend through openings in theside wall 14 of the housing for securing the support plate 60 to thehousing, the slots 71 providing for lengthwise adjustment of the baseplate 60 relative to the frame 10 for a purpose hereinafter explained.The carriage 70 has depending portions 74, shown in FIGURE 4, providedwith bores of a diameter to receive the rods 68 whereby the carriage 70is slidable on the rods. The boss 66 has a smooth bore to accommodate anUnthreaded region of the threaded shaft 76.

Axially aligned with the threaded shaft 76 is a shaft 78, an end of theshaft 78 being coupled to the unthreaded end of the shaft 76 by means ofa coupling member or collar 79. The shaft 78 extends through a bushing89 mounted in an opening in the front end wall 16 of the housing, a handwheel 90 being secured to an end region of the shaft 78 extendingthrough the bushing 89. A collar 91 on the shaft 78 adjacent the bushing89 prevents lengthwise movement of the shaft 78.

The carriage 70 is provided with a depending lug 93 fashioned with athreaded opening receiving the threaded region of the shaft 76. Throughthe threaded engagement of the lug 93 on the carriage with the threadedshaft 76, rotation of the shaft 76 by rotating the hand wheel 90 effectsadjustment of the carriage 70 lengthwise of the supporting plate 60. Thecarriage 70 is fashioned with two triangularly shaped portions or arms95, the upper ends of the portions 95 fashioned with openingsaccommodating a shaft 97 which is secured against rotation by a setscrew98.

With particular reference to FIGURE 6, a tubular shaft or sleeve 100 isjournally supported upon the shaft 97 by means of needle bearings 102 orother suitable bearing means. Mounted in spaced relation on the sleeve100 are disc-like members 104 and 106, the members being secured to thesleeve 100 by setscrews 107. The members 104 and 106 are of identicalconstruction, an end View of a portion of member 106 being illustratedin FIGURE 8. Each of the members 104 and 106 is fashioned with afrusto-conically shaped surface 109. Each frusto-conically shapedsurface is fashioned with circumferentially-spaced recesses 110 whichdefine lugs 112 of generally sectorlike shape.

Disposed between the members 104 and 106 is a member 116 having itsexterior surfaces 117 and 118 of frustoconical shape Which arereciprocal in angularity to that of the surface 109 on members 104 and106. The member 116 is fashioned with circumferentially spaced openingsor open areas 120 providing, between the open areas, sector shaped lugs122 which are of a circumferential dimension or thickness to be slidablyreceived in the recesses 110 fashioned on each of members 104 and 106.The member 116 is provided with a hub portion 124 having a boreaccommodating the sleeve 100 with sufficient clearance to facilitateslidable movement of member 116 in both directions lengthwise of thesleeve 100.

It will be apparent from FIGURE 6 that the lugs 112 and 122 are ininterlocking driving relation irrespective of the relative lengthwiseposition of member 116 between the members 104 and 106. As shown inFIGURES 2 and 4, the motor shaft 58 is equipped with a pulley 126 andthe arbor 28 equipped with a pulley 130. The pulley 126 is engaged Withan endless V-belt 132 which engages a pulley-like construction providedby members 104 and 116, the belt 132 engaging the frusto-conicallyshaped surfaces 117 and 109 of member 104 as shown in FIG- URE 6.

A second endless V-belt 134 connects the pulley 130 with the pulley-like`construction provided `by members 106 and 116, the belt engaging thefrusto-conically shaped surface 118 and the surface 109 of member 106.From IFIGUR-ES 2 and 4 it will be apparent that the speed of rotation ofthe arbor 28 may be varied by slidably adjusting the carriage 70 throughmanipulation of the hand wheel whereby one V-belt is moved outwardly ofthe axis of the sleeve and the other V-belt moved inwardly of the axisthereby effecting a change in the speed of rotation of the arbor 28 andstone polishing instrumentality supported thereon.

The tension of the driving belt 132 may be adjusted by sliding the plate60 lengthwise of the housing 10 as permitted by the slots 71 shown inFIGURE 4. The tension of the driving -belt 134 may be adjusted bymanipulating the bolts 36 to adjust the relative position of thereceptacle 20 and rotatable arbor 28 as permitted by the slots 38, shownin FIGURE 2.

Means is provided for supplying a controlled stream of water or otherliquid onto the stone polishing wheel or instrumentality 46. Thecircular wall of the receptacle 20 is fashioned with an exterior boss138 having a vertical bore to snugly receive a post or support member140. A container or tank 142 is adapted to be supported upon the post140. The side wall of the container 142 is equipped with a bracket 144which is slidably mounted on the post 140, the bracket being equippedwith a winged screw 146 for adjustably securing the tank 142 on thepost. A second bracket 148 is slidably adjustable along the post and maybe secured in adjusted position by a winged screw 150.

The bracket 148 supports a short length of metal tubing 152 such ascopper tubing. Secured to the bottom or oor of the tank 142 is a nipplefitting 154 connected by a flexible rubber tube 156 with an end of themetal tube 152. Secured to the other end of the metal tube 152 is aconventional adjustable flow control valve 158. The housing of the valve158 is equipped with a short length of metal tubing 160 such as coppertubing, the end 161 of the tube 160 terminating in a position to delivera stream of water onto the stone polishing wheel or instrumentally 46.The Valve 158 is adjustable to control the flow of water from the tank142 onto the stone polishing wheel.

The bracket 148 may be adjusted by manipulation of the winged screw tochange the position of the tube to change the region of delivery of thestream of water onto the stone polishing wheel. The arbor 28 is adaptedto accommodate and support various types and sizes of stone polishinginstrumentalities. A locking means is provided for locking the arbor 28in a fixed position to facilitate changing stone polishing wheels orinstrumentalities.

With reference to FIGURE 10, the boss 26, supporting the bearingsmounting the arbor 28, is fashioned with a depending boss 164 providedwith a bore 165 slidably accommodating a locking rod 166. The arbor 28is provided with a recess 168 adapted to receive the end of the lockingrod 166. The rod 166 extends through an opening in the front wall 16 ofthe housing and is equipped with a manipulating knob 167 to manipulatethe rod in a lengthwise direction. Mounted on the rod 166 is a washer169 abutting against a pin 170 extending through an opening in the rod166. Disposed between the boss 164 and the washer 169 is an expansivecoil spring 172.

As shown in FIGURE 10, the lcoil spring normally maintains the end ofthe rod 166 out of engagement with the arbor 28. When it is desired toremove one stone polishing instrumentality and replace it with adifferent instrumentality, the operator rotates the arbor 28 by hand toalign the recess 168 with the rod 166, and the rod depressed to engagethe end thereof in the recess 168 to lock the arbor against rotation.The locking nut 44 on the arbor may then be removed to effect areplacement of a stone polishing instrumentality. When the operatorreleases pressure on the rod 166, the expansive spring 172 withdraws therod from the recess 168.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, a suitable handle 174 is provided on thefront wall 16 of the housing to facilitate carrying the apparatus, theapparatus being compact and hence readily portable. The floor 22 of thereceptacle 20 is equipped with a depending nipple 176 to which aflexible rubber drain tube 178 may be attached to convey away the waterand grindings from the receptacle 20 to a waste receptacle (not shown),the tube extending through an opening 179 in a wall 14 of the housing10, as shown in FIGURE 5.

An electrically-energizable lamp construction 180 may be providedmounted upon adjustable support linkage 181-182 of conventionalconstruction, the support linkaf'e being secured to a bracket 184mounted on the planar platform or member 12 of the housing, as shown inFIGURES 1 and 2. An electrical outlet receptacle 188 is mounted upon theupper surface of the housing platform 12 and current supply conductorsL1 and L2 connected therewith, the current conductors -being enclosed inan insulating cord or sheath 189 of conventional construction. Theconductors L1 and L2 are connected with a conventional current supplyoutlet receptacle (not shown).

The circuit is illustrated in FIGURE 13. The receptacle 188 is connectedby a conductor 191 with the motor 52. Current conductor 192 is connectedwith a manually operated switch 193 mounted on the front wall 16 of thehousing, the switch being connected by conductor 194 with the motor 52.Thus, when current is supplied from a conventional outlet to thereceptacle 188 and the switch 193 moved to closed position, the motor 52is energized which, through the variable speed mechanism hereinbeforedescribed, effects a drive to the polishing wheel supporting arbor 28.The current for the lamp 180 is obtained by connecting the lamp cord(not shown) with one of the current outlets 196 of the receptacle 188.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the method of mounting a stone lapping plate 200 onthe arbor 28. The lapping plate 200 is fashioned with a boss 202 havinga threaded bore to receive the threaded tenon 42 on the arbor 28, thelapping plate being locked by means of a locking nut 204.

FIGURE ll illustrates a method of mounting a worn grinding or polishingwheel 210 on the arbor 28. Washers 212 are disposed adjacent the planarsurfaces of the wheel 210 and the wheel locked in position on the arborby means of the nut 44'. The wheel of the character shown in FIGURE 11is for shaping cabochons.

FIGURE 12 illustrates a method of mounting a coneshaped grinding orpolishing wheel 220 for rotation on the arbor 28. In this arrangement,an adjustable chuck 222, such as a conventional Jacobs chuck, is mountedon the threaded portion 42 of the arbor 28 and locked in position by alock nut 224. The cone-shaped polishing instrumentality 220 is providedwith a conventional shank 226 which is received in the adjustable chuck222.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the polishing apparatus isof compact, lightweight construction wherein the rotatable arbor isadapted to mount various types of stone polishing instrumentalities andwherein the variable speed drive enables the selection of the mostefficient operating speed for a stone lapping, grinding or polishinginstrumentality.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modificationsand different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed,and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for processing stones including, in cornbination, supportmeans comprising a housing having a platform portion, a receptaclemounted on the platform portion and having a hollow boss portion, arotatable arbor extending through the hollow boss portion, bearing meanssupported by the boss portion journally mounting said arbor, a pulley onthe arbor, said arbor arranged to mount a stone engaginginstrumentality, an electrically energizable motor mounted by thehousing having a shaft mounting a pulley, bracket means supported by thehousing, variable speed transmission mechanism mounted by the bracketmeans, said variable speed transmission mechanism including a carriage,means mounted by said bracket means supporting said carriage foradjustment of the carriage in a rectilinear direction, said variablespeed mechanism including a shaft rotatably supported upon the carriage,first and second disc-like members mounted in spaced relation on saidshaft, a third disc-like member disposed between said first and seconddisc-like members and movable lengthwise of the shaft, said membershaving frusto-conically shaped surfaces cooperating to form twopulley-like configurations, a first power transmission belt connectingone of said pulley-like configurations with the motor pulley and asecond power transmission belt connecting the other of said pulley-likeconfigurations with the pulley on the rotatable arbor, means formanually adjusting the carriage in a rectilinear direction whereby saidthird disc-like member is moved axially of the supporting shaft =by saidbelts for varying the speed of rotation of the arbor, a tank adapted tocontain a liquid, a support for the tank, tubular means connected withthe tank for conveying liquid onto the stone engaging instrumentality,means securing the receptacle to the platform, said receptacle beingadjustable relative to the housing for adjusting the tension of thesecond power transmission belt engaged with the pulley on the arbor, anddrain means connected with the receptacle.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the bracket means isadjustable relative to the housing for controlling the tension of thefirst power transmission belt connected with the pulley on the motorshaft, and means securing the bracket means in adjusted position.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the receptacle is ofaluminum.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the receptacle isprovided with a boss having a bore therein, the support for the tankincluding a post member disposed in the bore, and bracket means on saidtank engaging the post member.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the arbor is providedwith a recess, a transverse bore in the boss portion of the receptacle,a rod slidably disposed in said transverse bore engageable in the recessfor locking the arbor against rotation, and resilient means normallybiasing the rod out of engagement with the arbor.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the disc-like membershave axially projecting lugs, the lugs on the third disc-like memberinterengaging lugs on the first and second disc-like members whereby thethird disclike member is positively rotated with the first and seconddisc-like members.

7. The combination according to claim 2 comprising rods mounted on saidbracket means, said carriage being slidably mounted on said rods, saidcarriage having a threaded bore, a rotatable element having a threadedportion in engagement with the threaded bore in the carriage foradjusting the position of the carriage, an extension for said elementextending exteriorly of the housing, and a hand wheel on the extensionexteriorly of the housing for rotating the element.

8. Apparatus for processing stones including, in cornbination, supportmeans comprising a housing having a platform portion, a receptaclemounted on the platform portion and having a hollow boss portion, arotatable arbor extending through the hollow boss portion, bearing meanssupported by the boss portion journally mounting said arbor, a pulley onthe arbor, said arbor arranged to mount a stone engaginginstrumentality, an electrically energizable motor mounted by thehousing having a shaft mounting a pulley, bracket means supported by thehousing, variable speed transmission mechanism mounted by the bracketmeans, said variable speed transmission mechanism including a carriage,means mounted by said bracket means supporting said carriage foradjustment of the carriage in a rectilinear direction, said variablespeed mechanism including a shaft rotatable supported upon the carriage,first and second disc-like members mounted in spaced relation on saidshaft, a third disc-like member disposed between said first and seconddisc-like members and movable lengthwise of the shaft, said membershaving frusto-conically shaped surfaces cooperating to `form twopulley-like configurations, a first power transmission belt connectingone of said pulley-like configurations with the motor pulley and asecond power transmission belt connecting the other of said pulley-likeconfigurations with the pulley on the rotatable arbor, means formanually adjusting the carriage in a rectilinear direction whereby saidthird disc-like member is moved aXially of the supporting shaft by saidbelts for varying the speed of rotation of the arbor, a tank adapted tocontain a liquid, a

support for the tank, tubular means connected with the tank forconveying liquid onto the stone engaging instrumentality, means securingthe receptacle to the platform, said receptacle being adjustablerelative to the housing for adjusting the tension of the second powertransmission belt engaged with the pulley on the arbor, drain meansconnected with the receptacle, an electrically energizable lamp,adjustable means mounted on the housing supporting the lamp, an electriccurrent supply outlet unit mounted on said housing, circuit means lforsaid motor connected with the current supply outlet unit, and switchmeans in said motor circuit mounted on said housing for controlling theoperation of the motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 237,922 2/1881 Stetson 51-267 X1,711,015 4/1929 Dailey 5l109 2,429,617 10/ 1947 Gustafson 269-703,073,071 1/1963 Dierks 5l-134.5 X 3,210,893 10/1965 Jackson 51-170HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 51-124, 170

